Multiple vacuum action pipe organ



Feb. 2, 1932.

ll-:. D. PoNDr-:R MULTIPLE VACUUM ACTION PIPE ORGAN Filed Aug. 5, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l In 'HHH Feb. 2, 1932. E. D. PoNDr-:R

MULTIPLE VACUUM ACTIONAPIPE ORGAN s sheets-sheet 2 Filed Aug. 5, 1931 -OINVENTOR fla/vw (D. @mwa/o) ATTORNEY Feb. 2, 1932. E. D. PoNDER 1,843,403

MULTIPLE VACUUM ACTION PIPE ORGAN Filed Aug. 3, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 j: sra- E INVEN TOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 2, 1932 UNITED STATES EPHRIAM D. PONDER, OF GAINESVILLE, IELRIDA MULTIPLE VACUUM ACTION PIPE ORGAN Application filed August 3, 1931.

This invention relates to organs and particularly to pipe organs having a pressure wind chest for causing the pipes to speak and a vacuum chest for causing the operation of the means for controlling the valves from the pressure chest to the pipes.

The primary object of this invention is the production of a. simplified pipe organ. Another object of the invention is the provision of ap-ressure tension chest for supplying the pressure .for the speaking pipes and a vacuum tension chest close to the pressure chest for providing the tension for the device which operates thepressure valves controlling the passages to the pipes.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of means for causing, at will, the simultaneous speaking of pipes which have harmonious notes, by the operation of a single note at one end of the series.

y Still another object of the invention is the provision of such an organ having stop means for controlling the speaking of any one or plurality of notes in a harmonic series and for at will connecting all of the series together for speaking.

Another and still further object of the invention is the provision of such an organ having stop means for controlling the simultaneous speakingv of any one or more of the notes of a harmonic series in one row of pipes or a plurality of rows of pipes, at will, by the operationof a single key.

Another and still further Vobject of the invention is the provision of a means whereby the air from the vacuum chest is exhausted therefrom and immediately returned to the pressure chest, thereby supplying air for speaking notes atthe same temperature and humid state as the air of the room.

Another and still further object of the invention is the provision of an improved pneumatic valve boX wherein the parts may be easily separated for inspection or repair and have the portions of the box hinged together toinsure exact registration upon replacement.

Other and still further objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the complete specification and claims.

Serial No. 554,874.

Referring to the drawings wherein I have illustrated an embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is an illustration of the main features of the invention, shown more or less diagrammatically to more clearly illustrate the details of construction.

Figure 2 is a cross section of the wind chest assembly showing two series of pipes and the proximity of the wind and vacuum tension chambers in the main series.

Figure 3 is a fragmental detail view of one of the check valves in a harmonic series connecting line.

Figure 4 is a. cross sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic showing of the wind chest and vacuum tension chest and producing means for vacuum and wind tension.

Similar reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the specification and drawings.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 and 2, 2O designates generally the side boards of the wind chest which are provided at their upper edges with a top board 21 which boards 2O and 21 are provided with openings to receive the pipes 22 which are thus arranged in two rows on the top of the wind chest, an opening 28 is drilled through the boards 2O and 21 to conduct the air from a drilled valve port 24 to the pipe 22. At the port 24 is provided a valve seat 25 on which is a valve 26. The valve 26 is supported by a valve stem 27 which passes through the side board 2O and is provided at its end with a small head 27.

To operate these valves 26,1 provide power pneumatics 28 on the outside of the wind chest. A duct 29 leads from the power pneumatic to the primary pneumatic unit which controls the operation of the power pneumatic 28 and which will now be described.

The primary pneumatic unit comprises a plurality of members such as the upper member 30, the intermediate member 31 and the lower member 32. These members of the unit are hinged together in any suitable manner by the soft leather hinge 33. The parts 30, 31 and 32 are held in place by the screws One of the members, as 30, is provided with a valve chamber 34 having therein a suitable valve 35 for controlling the admission of tension to the powcrpneumatic 28. This valve is suitably controlled in vertical path by suitable guides and when in its upper position registers with an opening` CL in 'the upper end of the valve chamber and connects the latter to atmosphere ywhen the valve is in its lowered position.

One member as the member 3l is provided kwith a vacuum chamber 36 which is connected by the duct 37 which passes through the bottom board 38, of the wind chest, to connect with the vacuum chamber 33a from which comes the tension to operate `the power pneumatic 28. At the upper end of the vacuum chamber 36 is a port-3la which is normally closed by the lower end oi: the valve 35.

The valve has a stem 39 which extends downwardly into the chamber 36 and in position to be lifted by the primary pneumatic pouch member 40, secured to the top of the member 32 above the pouch chamber 4l.

A suitable bleed connection is provided at 42 to connect the pouch chamber with a small hole to collapse the pouch after its operation is no longer desired. The pouch chamber' 41 is connected to a duct 42 which leads to a connection duct extending to a duct opening which is covered or uncovered by the operation of a key of the manual.

In the practice of my invention, it has been found to be particularly advantageous to have the vacuum chest and the wind chest in close proximity to each other, in order to have the power pneumatic operated by vacuum and with as short a duct as possible.

In carrying out my invention, I have provided connections between certain oi the pneumatics' of the same row whereby when desired, the player can by the use of a stop, so connect the connections to the power pneumatics that when a note is caused to speak, another note of the same harmonic series will also speak. In this specification and the claims, the term harmonic series7 intend- A ed to mean those notes which in the same row of pipes, will harmonize as for example major and minor chords. For example, if the note F is made to speak when this stop is operated, then the note A, which is the second of that harmonic series, will also speak. If the note Fit is sounded, the note Ai; will also sound and so on.

I have also provided connections whereby the first and third notes ot' an harmonic series may be sounded simultaneously as F and C or F11 and Cit. I have further provided another stop which will sound the fourth note of the harmonic series when a note is sounded as when F is sounded, I|`-octave will sound simultaneously. Y

In order to further control the sounding of the notes ot.' an harmonic series, I have provided a single stop and connections whereby the operation of the stop will cause all four of the notes of the harmonic series to be sounded simultaneously.

The numeral 50 represents the keys of the console which operate to control the playing of the notes. The duct 5i having an opening connects with the duct 42 already described. lVhen a key 50 is pressed, the end of the opening 52 of the duct 51 is uncovered and air enters the duct 5l and passes to the duct 42 which is under the iniiuence of the eX- haust tension. The air passes along the duct 42 to the control device adjacent the wind chests. As this air impulse reaches the control devices, it has a tendency to be divided into `ve different parts and under certain circumstances does so divide. The irst part enters the pouch chamber 4l and operates the primary pneumatic of the pipe correspondinfg,` to the key which is operated. For the sake of description of this operation, let the note to which the key 50 corresponds, be F. The other four divisions of the impulse of air through the duct 42 are distributed; three to connections to at will control individually the sounding of other Vnotes of the harmonic series or" which F is considered the first note and the other division to connections to control, simultaneously, the speaking of all four of the notes of that harmonic series.

The branches to control the speaking, individually, of the notes of the harmonic series, I have designated as 42, 42c and 42f, to denote the ducts leading to the pouch chambers 4l of the primary pneumatics of the notes A, @and F-octave, respectively.

Howevenbefore the impulse of air reaches the primary pneumatic pouch it is to operate, it must pass the stop control devicewhich controls connections from each note to another note which is one of its harmonic series. For example, in the embodiment herein illustrated, each note of the series of pipes of the chromatic series of a row of pipes, is connected to the next one of its harmonic series and all of these connections are under control of a single stop. And since each pipe is connected to the corresponding' pipe of every other row under control of the same manual for speaking. it follows that the same simultaneous speaking of the pipe played and the speakingof the next pipe of that harmonic series will take place and will be duplicated by the corresponding pi aes oli any row of pipes controlled b v that manual if the wind control stop for that row of pipes is operated to admit air to its wind chest.

In the same way, other connections under control oi single stop, are provided to cause the third of the harmonic series to speak when the iirst oit such series is caused to speak.

And likewise, other connections under the control of a single stop, are provided to cause the fourth note of the harmonic series which is an octave higher, to speak when the first of such series is caused to speak.

It is thus seen that there are three such Stops, controlling the speaking of the second, third and fourth pipes, respectively, of

all the harmonic series, when the first note of any harmonicseries is caused to speak. These stops operate independently of each other so that any two or all of the notes may be sounded with the first of the series, depending upon which stops are operated.

Operating independently of these three stops,is a fourth stop which puts on all of the three additional pipes of the harmonic series when the lirst pipevis caused to speak. This stop is so arranged that it may be operated without disturbing the setting of the other three stops. Further the return of the fourth stop to its normal silent position, returns the pipes to the control of the three stops which control the individual pipes of the several harmonic series. Thebranch duct which leads ott from the duct 42, I have designated as 42".

Considering one of the four branches of the duct 42, as for example, the duct 429, one division of the pneumatic impulse passes along the duct 42a until it reaches the chamber 58a on one side of the diaphragm pouch 54a. Connected to the chamber 53a is a duct 55a through which the impulse passes to a check valve boX 56a having a .check valve'a in a chamber 58a. After passing through the chamber 58a the impulse of air passes through the duct 59 to the primary pneumatic chamber 4l of the note A which is the second of the harmonic series of which F is the first note.

The diaphragm pouch 54a has on its upper side, as shown, a chamber 60a. The pouch 54a and chamber 60a are illustrative of a number of such pouches and chambers, there being one to correspond to the second of a harmonic series of which each of the successive pipes is the first. The chambers G0 are all'connected to a single conduit 6la to which is connected a tube 62at which leads to a stop member 63EL in position to be operated by the player whilethe latter is playing. This stop member 63a is provided with a cut away portion 645u which connects the opening of the duct 62a with either the duct 65a, leading to the wind tension chest W, or to the opening of the duct 66a leading to the vacuum tension chest V. The wind tension and vacuum tension for the chests W and V respectively are supplied in a manner to be later described.

By pushing, the stop member 63a inwardly or to the left as illustrated, it will be seen that the ducts 62a and 66a will be connected together. This will connect the duct 62a with vacuum tension from the chest V.

This vacuum tension will pass along the duct 62a to the chamber 60EL which will cause the diaphragm pouch member 541i to be drawn upwardly from the extended end of the duct 42a, effectively opening the latter and pcrmitting the pressure impulses to be passed from the duct l2a to the duct 55 whenever the playing key 50 of the manual is operated to admit atmosphere to destroy the normal vacuum of the duct 42.

When the stop member G3 is pulled out, to the right as illustrated, the duct 62'l1 is connected to the wind tension of the duct a and the diaphragm pouch 54a is collapsed against the opening of the duct 42, and no impulse can be transmitted from the duct 42* to the duct 55u.

The remaining portion of the innmlsc trom the atmosphere admitted to the duct 42, passes al ng the branch duct 42X which controls the setting of all four pipes oi the harmonic series between octaves, when the tirst pipe of the series is caused to speak.

To bring about this result, the atmospheric impulse passes to the end of the duct 2X and into the chamber 67X on one side of the diaphragm pouch 68X. Leaving the chamber 67X, the impulse passes along the duct 69X to a manilold 70X having three branches to ports covered with smalliiap valves 7l, 71C, Tlf. These flap valves are located in chambers leading respectively to the ducts 59, 59C, 59f. These ducts lead respectively to the primary pneumatics 4l of the pipes A, C, and F-octave where F is the note sounded.

For cach pipe which is considered the first ci an harmonic series, there is provided a means for operating, at will, the first and third pipes of the series when the stop means has the proper setting. The duct 42C, chamber 53C, diaphragm pouch 54, chamber 60C, duct 62C, duct 55C, duct 59, correspond to similar similarly numbered parts having i for an exponent. The same applies also for the operation of the :fourth member of the harmonic series, the parts of which are desi gnated with corresponding numerals with the exponent t.

Similarly there is a duct 42X, chamber 67X, pouch pneumatic 68X for each pipe with the necessary connections to the three other pipes of its harmonic series to sound the latter' with the .lirst pipe when desired.

It will l e noted that whenever a pipe, in the main row of pipes, is made to speak, vacuum tension is placed in the power pneumatic and also in a duct V.72 extending downwardly into the vacuum tension chamber 38a. This duct 72 is connected by the duct 72 to a second power pneumatic in the second row of pipes and by the duct .72 to a third pipe in a third row. These latter two connections are always made when a note in the first row is sounded.

It the wind chest of the second or third row has wind pressure therein the corresponding note of the second or third row will also speak, and so on for other rows of pipes.

On the opposite side of the diaphragmV pouches 68X from the chambers 67x are chambers 60X, which chambers are all connected together by a single duct 62X which isfcontrolled by a single stop member 63X. Connections to a valve chamber 64X are made by the ducts 66X and 65X which are at their other respective ends connected to the vacuum tension and wind tension chests. By moving the stopmember (33X in or out (left or right as shown) the tour pipes of respective harmonic series may be connected so as to sound simultaneously when the iirst of the series is sounded. or be disconnected for individual control.

The parts 552 57a, 58a, 59, 60, 61, 62a, 63, 64a, 65a, (56 in connection with the operation of the second member of the harmonic series, all have counterparts, those for the third member of the harmonic series having the same numbers with c as an eX- ponent and these for the fourth memberone octave distant,-haviner the saine numbers with the exponent t In providing` power for the tension means, I have combined the rind tension producing means and the vacuum tension producing means so that a single pump means is utilized to draw air from the vacuum chests.

ln l? i gure 5, l have illustrated by diagrammatic sho1 ing this part of the device.

An air pump 100 is operated by a motor 101 and draws air in through the duct 102 which is connected to the main vacuum chest 38a. The small vacuum chest V is evacuatet by a tube 103 into the vacuum tension chamber 38a.

To supply the wind pressure to the wind chests 104, 104, the air after it is exhausted from the vacuum chests, is sent inte the chests 104, 104n b v the duct 105 and to the small wind chest 1V by the duct 105% For the sake oi clearness the pressure relief valve which keeps the tension in the vacuum chest constant and the step devices for controlling` the admission ef wind pressure to the pressure wind chests, have both been omitted from the showing. As these per se do not form part ot the invention and are well known in the art their illustration is not thought to be necessary.

As the vacuum devices including the primary pneumatics and relief valve are all located adjacent the vacuum chest, vitwill be clear t iat the air taken into the air pump will have the'same humidity and temperature as the other air in the roem where the organ located. This air then being sent to the pressure wind chests. insures the same conditions for the pipes as they were having prior to the playing of the organ. Tn this way, the starting of the organ will not cause a portion of the pipes to be subjected to different air conditions than those which have not been playing. Thus the conditions in my organ start and remain the same for all pipes throughout the period of playing.

Let us assume that the stop members 63, 63C, 63f and 63X are all in closed or forward position (right hand position as shown on Figure 1). In this position, all of the pneumatics 54, 54, 54f and 68X will be collapsed, closing the tubes 42, 42C, 42f and 42x. As the player plays in the usual manner on the manual without operating the stops to place wind in any other wind chests than the main wind chest, only those notes will play which correspond to the keys pressed. If, however, the stop is operated which admits wind pressure to the wind chest A, the corresponding pipe in the series of pipes connecting with the wind chest A will speak.

Assuming now that the player desires to play in duet, he immediately pushes in on the stop member 63a. As already described, this causes the vacuum to lift the diaphragm 54 and permit the connection of the d uct 42 through to the primary pneumatic 40 of the second pipe in each harmonic series of which the pipe corresponding to the key operated is the first.

It now the player desires to play the first and third pipes of each harmonic series, he will also push in the stop member 63C. This lifts the pouch 54c and causes the duct 42 for any note played to be connected to the third pipe of the series of which the corresponding key which has been placed is the first.

The operation of these stop devices 63 and 63C and their connections is independent each of the other and it is possible to operate the i'irst and third of each se ies by pressing inwardly on the stop mechanism 63C without operating the stop member 63a.

The same also applies to the stop mechanism which is connected to the stop member 63f which mechanism always operates a pipe one octave from the pipe corresponding to he key pressed.

T the player during the playing operation should decide that the duet or the. trio caused by the operation of the stop devices 63 and 63 should be replaced by the quartet, temporarily, it would only be necessary to press inwardly the stop device 63X. This operation would lift all of thepouches 68X and then whenever a key was pressed its corresponding pipe and the succeeding three pipes of the harmonic series would alse be caused to speak. This quartet setting would immediately be canceled and the pipes returned to the influence of the individual control by simply pulling out Von the stop member 63". This operation simply places pressure in all of the chambers 60" and cuts olil communicaion between the ducts 42X and 69X. .Vhen this action occurs, the pipes return to the iniuence olf the setting et the individual stop devices 68, 63C, or 63t or any one or two of them.

The arrangement described has been for the solo, duet, trio and quartet arrangement. It is to beunderstood, of course, that this arrangement may be extended as far as is desired.

While I have shown and illustrated one form of my invention in detail and have shown and described controlled mechanism to connect four pipes of a harmonic series, it is to be` understood that the showing and description is merely illustrative and that the multiple connecting mechanism could he used for connecting different pipes than those enumerated and that modifications and changes may be made without departing 'from the spirit of the invention and within tln` scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. An organ having pipes, a pressure chest for providing wind'tension for the speaking of the pipes, valves for controlling the connection from the chest to the pipes, a vacuum chest, power pneumatics exterior of the wind chest for operating the respective valves, connections between the power pneumatics and the vacuum chest and a primary valve for controlling the connection of the power pneumatics to the vacuum chest.

2. An organ having a pipe, a pressure chest for providing wind tension for the speaking of the pipe, a valve for controlling the connection from the chest to the pipe, a vacuum chest, a power pneumatic for o-perating the valve, a connection b-etween the power pneumatic and the vacuum chest, primary valves for controlling the connections of the power pneumatics to the vacuum chest, a second pipe in the same harmonic series with the iirst pipe, a pneumatic and valve for causing the pipe to speak and connections for causing, at will, the second pipe to speak simultaneously with the speaking of the first pipe.

3. An organ having a pipe, a pressure chest for providing wind tension for the speaking of the pipe, a valve for controlling the con'` nection from the chest to the pipe, a vacuum chest, a power pneumatic for operating the valve, a connection between the power pneumatic and the vacuum chest, a primary valve for controlling the connection of the power pneumatic to the vacuum chest, a plurality of pipes in the same harmonic series with the firstpipe, a pneumatic and valve for each of the plurality of pipes for causing the pipe to speak and connections settable, to at will, cause any one or more of the pipes to speak simultaneously with the speaking of the first pipe.

4. An organ having a series of pipes, a valve for each pipe, pneumatic means for operating the respective valves and stop mechanism for operatively connecting together a plurality of operating pneumatic means of pipes of chord harmonic series so as to, at will, cause a selected member of the series of that organ to speak when the first of such series is caused to speak.

5. in organ having a series of pipes, a valve for each pipe, pneumatic means for operating the respective valves and stop mechanism for operatively connecting together a plurality of operating pneumatic means of pipes of chord harmonic series so as to, at will, cause a selected member of the series of that organ to speak when the first of' such series is caused to speak, said stop mechanism including separate means to, at will, cause all of the selected series to speak when the first of such series is caused to speak.

6. An organ having a series of pipes, a pressure chest for providing wind tension for the speaking of the pipes, valves for controlling the connections from the chest to the pipes, a vacuum chest, a power pneumatic for operating the valve, connections between the respective power pneumatics and the vacuum chest, a primary valve for controlling the connection between each power pneumatic and the vacuum chest, stop mechanism for operatively connecting together a plurality of power pneumatics of' the pipes or" harmonic series so as to, at will, cause a selected member of the harmonic series to speak when the first of such series is caused to speak and separate means to, at will, cause all ofthe selected harmonic series to speak when the first of such series is caused to speak.

'l'. An organ having a series of pipes, a pressure chest Ior providing` wind tension for the speaking of the pipes, valves for controlling the connections from the chest to the pipes, a vacuum chest, a power pneumatic for operating the valve, connections between the respective power pneuinatics and the vacuum chest, a primary valve for controlling the connection between each power pneumatic and the vacuum chest, stop mechanisms for operatively connecting a plurality of power pneumatics of the pipes together in respective harmonic series so as to, at will, cause a selected member of any of the harmonic series to speak when the first of such series is caused to speak, said stop mechanism including a pneumatic duct and cut-ofi means common to all of the corresponding pipes of the several harmonic series, and manually controlled means within reach of the player to operate the cut-ofiQ means to prevent or permit the operation of the power pneumatics of the selected pipes of the harmonic series with operation of the power pneumatic of the first pipe of such series.

8. An organ having a series of pipes, a pressure chest for providing wind tension for the speaking of the pipes, valves for controlling the connections from the chest to the pipes, a vacuum chest, a power pneumatic for operating the valve, connections between the respective power pneumatics and the vacuum chest, a primary valve for controlling the connection ybetween each power pneumatic and the vacuum chest, a stop mechanism for operatively connecting a group. of power pneumatics of the pipes together in respectiveharmonic series so as to at will, cause the group of pipes to speak when the first pipe of such series is caused to speak, said stop mechanism including a pneumatic duct for each group of theseveral series and cut-off means common to all of the ducts and manually controlled means within reach of the player to operate the cut-o means to, at will, cause the operation of all of the power pneumatics of the group simultaneously with the operation of the power pneumatic of the first of' the harmonic series.

9. An organ having a series of pipes and a key manual, a pressure chest for providing wind tension for the speaking of the pipes, a valve for controlling the connection from-the chest to each pipe, a vacuum chest, a power pneumatic for operating each valve, connections between each of the power pneumatics and the vacuum chest, a primary valve for controlling the connection of each power pneumatic to the vacuum chest, a primary pneumatic for operating each of the primary valves, a connection between a key of the key manual and the corresponding primary pneumatic and to the primary pneumatic of a second pipe in the same harmonic series to, at will, cause the second pipe to speak when the first pipe is played.

10. An organ having a plurality of series of pipes, a pressure chest for each series for providing tension for the speaking of the pipes, val-ves for controlling the passage of wind tension from the pressure chest to the pipes, vacuum power pneumatics for operating the Valves, a vacuum chest adjacent one of the pressure chests, primary pneumatic valves adjacent the vacuum chest and connected thereto, connections from the primary pneumatic valves to respective vacuum power pneumatics, there being one such connection to a corresponding pipe of each series.

11. An organ having a series of pipes, a pressure chest for providing wind tension for the speaking of the pipes, valves for controlling the connecting of the chest to the pipes, a vacuum chest, power pneumatics for operating the valves, connections between the power pneumatics and the vacuum chest, primary valves for controlling the connections of the power pneumatics to the vacuum chest, a plurality of pipes of an harmonic series having a common controly connection, stop means under control of the player to, at will, set one or more pipes of the harmonic series to speak when one pipe of the series is made to speak and a separate stop means under control of the player, to cause all of any harmonic series to speak when the first pipe of the series is caused to speak.

12. An organ having a series of pipes, a pressure chest for providing wind tension for the speaking of the pipes, valves for controlling the connection from the chest to the pipes, power pneumatics for operating the valves, a vacuum chest for supplying Vacuum tension to the pneumatics, a pump, an inlet connection from the vacuum chest to the pump and an outlet connection extending from the pump to the pressure chamber.

13. A primary pneumatic unit for pneu,-

matic musical instruments comprising a plurality of hingedly connected members, a valve chamber in one of the members, a valve in the chamber, a pneumatic valve lifter in one of the members, a tension duct connected to one side of the pneumatic valve lifter and a control duct connected to the other side and means for securing the non-hinged side of the hinged members together.

14. A primary pneumatic unit for pneumatic musical instruments comprising a pouch member having a chamber and a pouch on one side of the chamber, two valve members, one of the valve members having a valve chamber, a valve in the valve chamber, one of the members having a connection to a source of vacuum and extending to the space above the pouch, the three members being hinged together to insure registration of the parts when assembled and ready inspection when desirable.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

EPHR-IAM D. PONDER. 

